


diamonds in the rough

by neraiutsuze



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: canon-typical Elias Being Terrible, it's jonmartin if you squint, missing scene post-The Dog Incident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:35:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25729795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neraiutsuze/pseuds/neraiutsuze
Summary: Faced with a very not ideal situation on his very first day, Jon makes a valid attempt not to fly down a rabbit hole of paranoia about his boss and new assistant.
Relationships: Martin Blackwood & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34
Collections: The Magnus Archives Flash Fanwork Challenge





	diamonds in the rough

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the TMA Flash Fiction Challenge, prompt "test"!

“Well, that’s….not ideal,” is what Jon says out loud.

In his head, it’s more of a tirade. What is Elias _thinking_ , sending him someone he did not ask for, who appears to be either completely incompetent or lackadaisical at best? This, on top of not coming down here to help give him any sort of direction as to what his job would actually entail! 

Oh. Is this some kind of test, he thinks, suddenly nervous. Perhaps how he handles being left to his own devices is how Elias will judge his fitness for the position. Perhaps throwing a wrench into his attempts at maintaining any sort of comfort zone by throwing this _Martin_ at him unexpectedly is all part of it. 

He remembers vividly how his meeting with Elias had gone, when he’d been offered the job. It was hard to forget, even through the intimidation factor of any meeting in Elias’ office. Said office seemed almost designed specifically to be a statement about power and who had it, a room more ornate and finely decorated than anywhere else in the Institute, all deep green textured wallpaper and mahogany furniture, and Elias sat primly in the middle of it like a king holding court. 

It was probably the weighted atmosphere of that damn office that had made Jon’s response to being informed of his promotion be a slightly strangled “…. _me_?” instead of something more professional. Thank God Elias had seemed more amused than put off by his inability to act like an actual human being being given good news.

“I pride myself on seeing potential, Jon,” he’d said, “and giving that potential opportunity to grow. You know the saying about pressure creating diamonds, well. I see _which_ coal will become diamonds. This is your opportunity. I look forward to seeing how polished your diamond becomes.”

That was all well and good, and Jon had definitely sat up a little straighter in the office and tried very hard to look like a diamond in the making, but here in this box-filled shoebox of a room with none of the people he’d requested, an idiot and damn dog running around somewhere outside, and no real idea where to begin, he’s revisiting that comment about pressure with a new eye.

Perhaps Martin is an actor, sent by Elias to see how he handles such a nightmarish situation. If he followed through with his threat to fire him, would that be succeeding or failing Elias’ expectations?

Jon thinks again about Martin’s big, open face, the slightly-sheepish crooked smile, and the way his jaw had dropped when he’d realised who Jon was. No, he decides, he’s being ridiculous. If Martin _had_ been sent by Elias as part of Jon’s own diamond-creating pressure, then the man clearly didn’t know that.

…Oh god, what if Martin was another one Elias had seen _potential_ in? Had Elias sent him down here to be part of _Jon’s_ crucible? Is that what _he’d_ looked like to Elias?

No. No, definitely not. He’d always looked more professional than _Martin_.

Well. If Elias had such high expectations of him to turn this place around with no guidance, and somehow pressure a lump of coal into a diamond while he was at it, then he’d just have to prove he was up to the task. 


End file.
